Jeane Brundige
Dorothy Jeane Beckman was born at her parents’ home southeast of Haxtun on Jan. 17, 1922, to Theodore and Liddie (Johnson) Beckman. She died Aug. 1, 2022.
As a young girl, her mother began calling her by her middle name, Jeane, a name she was given in honor of her mother’s beloved friend. She would go by Jeane for the rest of her life.
She was joined by her brother, William “Bill” Beckman, in July of 1923 and grew up on the family farm. Jeane and Bill were very close growing up. She would always agree to play the bad guy so her brother would let her play cops and robbers with him.
Jeane attended Philorado Elementary School, where she would walk and her brother would ride his horse to school. She graduated from Haxtun High School in 1939. Following graduation, she moved to Denver and took a secretarial course and then began working for Gates Rubber Company.
While working at Gates Rubber Company, she was invited by her friend Georgie Belle to a birthday party for a family friend, Glenn Brundige. As fate would have it, Glenn also worked at Gates, although they had never met. Three months later they became engaged and were married Sept. 7, 1941.
World War II began on Dec. 7, 1941, and Glenn was drafted into the Army in 1942. Jeane was able to follow him as he received training. During that time, she worked various jobs including a post office clerk, secretary and a housekeeper for the commanding officer at Fort Lewis in Washington.
Jeane returned home when Glenn was sent overseas to serve with the 743rd Tank Battalion. Her brother Bill was also drafted and became a tail gunner in the Pacific Theater of Operations.
Once she returned home, she worked for the draft board in Holyoke. Glenn was wounded and returned home in 1945. Her brother Bill was shot down over Japan in 1945 and his body was returned home in 1948.
Jeane and Glenn moved to a home east of Holyoke following the war and then to a farm southeast of Haxtun. They were blessed with three children, Linda Jeane in 1946, William “Bill” Glenn in 1948 and James “Jim” Earnest in 1954. They farmed until 1963, when the family moved into town when Glenn took a position as a rural mail carrier.
During this time Jeane kept busy with her children and their activities and volunteering at the school and with the Haxtun United Methodist Women. She worked as a church secretary for several years at the Haxtun United Methodist Church where Jeane was a member for 85 years.
Jeane and Glenn enjoyed traveling to visit their children and to watch their sons’ games in college and later Bill’s games with the Washington Redskins. She and Glenn enjoyed a couple of years wintering in Arizona until Glenn’s health no longer allowed them to travel.
Jeane was an avid sports fan. She loved college and professional sports of all kinds and was known to have a standing “do not disturb” order during March Madness. The first topic of conversation was often the status of her bracket. She loved being a Haxtun Fightin’ Bulldogs fan and could be found cheering in the stands for four generations.
Upon Glenn’s death in 1994, Jeane was blessed with a wonderful group of friends. She enjoyed playing bridge and lunching with them for many years. She lived in her home until she was 98 years old. After a fall, she moved to the Haxtun Extended Care Unit, where she was blessed with a wonderful staff that treated her like family.
Jeane died Aug. 1, 2022, at age 100, having lived a full, wonderful life filled with many adventures, family, friends and an enduring faith until she was called home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Theodore and Liddie; her brother, Bill; her husband, Glenn; and her son, Bill.
She is survived by her daughter, Linda Battello; son, Jim and wife Jody; granddaughter, Jamie and husband Craig Tori and their children Bella and Jake; and many beloved cousins, friends and caregivers.
Jeane’s funeral will be held Monday, Aug. 29, at 10:30 a.m. at the Haxtun United Methodist Church.
Baucke Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.